Planning big purchases for your home this year? Knowing the best time to buy and planning ahead can save you big bucks on things for your home. In Episode 88 of The Architecture Happy Hour podcast, co-hosts and residential architects, Laura Davis and Holly Hall share the best times of the year to buy things for your home.
In this episode

A month by month guide on the best time of year to buy things for your home

Linens, bedding
Carpet, flooring
Home decor, furniture
Televisions, electronics
China, flatware
Cookware, kitchen accessories
Paint
Patio Furniture
Appliances
Holiday and seasonal items



Home Design Tips

Our favorite apps/websites that make shopping and saving faster and easier

Rakuten.com
Flipp.com
Wikibuy.com
Camelcamelcamel.com
Smile.amazon.com
Store apps price scan



What is the Best Time of Year to Buy...?
Large Appliances: September, October, and January
This is when manufacturers roll out new home appliance models, and retailers are eager to move last year's inventory. (Refrigerators are the exception. New models come out in the spring.)

Also, Thursdays are a good day because it’s before the weekend and the weekend rush when aisles are less crowded. The last days of the month are also good because stores are desperate to meet quotas and are more likely to dicker over prices.

air conditioners & gas grills: Fall & winter because few buyers think about warm-weather appliances when leaves and snow cover the ground.
dishwashers: December because they are much cheaper at the end of the year. 

Indoor Furniture: July
While January is also a great month to buy furniture (post-Christmas sales, new styles are released in February, etc.), July wins out over January because: Bringing your furniture home in snowy weather conditions is difficult. Overall furniture sales are down in the summer making the discounts go up.
Office Furniture: January, after tax season & July
Furniture styles are updated twice a year usually between February and August. This is a great time to take advantage of price cuts as stores make room for new inventory. Also look into any discounts on floor models.

office supplies: august

computers: july

July is typically a slow month for computer sales—before the back-to-school rush—so you can often find some great deals!
Outdoor Furniture: august to october
Stores begin clearing out their summer items in July & August to make room for their fall inventory. Generally, the further from summer, the higher the savings on patio furniture. In early August, sales are approximately 20 percent off.

gardening tools: february to april

Save up to 50 percent on shovels, hoes, rakes and other gardening tools during these months.

lawnmowers: april, may, august, september & october (per Consumer Reports).

One popular school of thought is that it’s best to buy a mower right after mowing season ends.

picnic & barbecue supplies: mid-may & june

In anticipation of the summer grilling and picnic season, retailers want to sell their stuff, so you’ll find deep discounts on these types of items.

swing sets: august

Since swing sets take up a lot of floor space and lose their popularity after kids go back to school, August is a popular month for sales.

above ground swimming pools: december to february

The off season is the best time to buy. Some retailers will offer incentives to “early planners’ who purchase their pools in December/January/February.
Carpets, Flooring & Linens: january
Wait until January when prices have been lowered to move inventory. You can also often find a “white sale” on linens at the beginning of the year.
Home Décor: january
Some people like to redecorate in January to create a new look for the new year. So be on the lookout for sales and discounts at large retailers selling off last year’s looks.
Cookware & Kitchen Essentials: late spring/early summer